When it comes to meal prep, there are a few tried and true items that I end up making nearly every week. I don’t always make them exactly the same, but can customize them based on what ingredients I have on hand or what’s seasonal. I included some recipes that I have created as well as some of my favorites from other blogs!

Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are something that I prep almost every week. Maybe not for every day, but they are perfect to grab for breakfast or a morning snack. There are a MILLION recipes out there for different variations- but make sure to choose an option that’s actually healthy. I’ve seen recipes that call for a lot of added sugars which isn’t something I would consider “healthy.” These are some of my favorites:

Eggs are a great source of protein and perfect for breakfast or snacks. I love making egg muffins, egg casserole, or frittatas and adding a ton of veggies. If I’m pressed for time, hard boiled eggs also do the trick, are very portable, and don’t require any reheating. Here are a few of my favorite meal prep egg recipes:

This one is a little vague but one of my absolute favorites. Sort of like a Buddha Bowl but more deconstructed. I cook quinoa in my rice cooker and store it in one container, then I cook veggies + chickpeas and store it in another. Mix it all together and you have a perfect lunch! You can kind of wing it with whatever veggies you like, but here are some of my favorites:

Soups are FABULOUS for meal prep. What is especially fabulous about them is that it’s easy to make double batches and freeze half for another time. You can also make them in the crock pot which is a huge win in my book. Be careful, though! Not all soups are created equal. Try to stick to soups that have a lot of veggies, protein, and are “brothy” or tomato based rather than creamy and full of cheese or salt. If you are craving something creamy, look for one that’s not LOADED with cream or cheese and uses healthier alternatives, like Greek yogurt. Here are some of my favorites:

The ultimate simple, portable snack. While it’s easy to buy bars, healthy bars can sometimes be pricey. To save a little money and get really wholesome, whole foods bars, make them yourself! Here are a few that I like:

***BABY CONNOR PHILIP DAHMS arrived April 15th, 2018! I wrote this post a few weeks before giving birth and didn’t get around to posting it. Here it is!***

I have been promising this post for the last few weeks, but it has taken me forever to actually sit down and write it. I have been completely SWAMPED lately with work and school because I’m trying to do as much as a can before going on maternity leave in a few short weeks (or really any day). I’m finally starting to feel more prepared, which is a great feeling!

I knew I wanted to have some freezer meals on hand for after the baby arrives. It will just make my life and Kevin’s life a little easier to know we have food to eat if neither of us is feeling up to cooking. I also don’t want to rely TOO heavily on take-out because I like to eat healthy meals most of the time. So, I came up with a few meals and snacks I wanted to have in the freezer to help get us through those first few weeks with a newborn. Here is what I made:

For the pasta bake, enchiladas, black bean burgers, and stuffed peppers, I whipped up double batches and we ate one fresh and froze the other. The Lentil Pasta Bake I did not use a recipe. I just cooked a package of Trader Joe’s lentil pasta and layered it with a ricotta/mozzarella mixture and store-bought sauce. So easy. The Brown Rice and Lentil Stuffed Peppers recipe I kind of just adapted on the fly using my Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Peppers recipe as a guide. HOWEVER, you can see I have a lot of black bean meals on that list so I wanted to use something other than those for my protein in the peppers. The black bean burgers usually make a decent amount. We ate 4 of them fresh and I was able to freeze six for later.

The Enchilada Sweet Potatoes make a great meal for me with a side salad and a good side dish for Kevin with a chicken breast. Both types of breakfast burritos are pretty hefty and will make a good breakfast, lunch, or even dinner. I ended up making 3 of each using the recipes listed as a guide, but I adapted to our own tastes and quantities needed. For the vegan burritos, I made a tofu scramble with tofu, bell pepper, mushrooms, onion, and spinach (along with spices- turmeric, garlic powder, salt, pepper, mustard, cumin) and wrapped them in a whole wheat wrap. For Kevin’s burritos, I scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, cheddar cheese, and the same veggies that were in my burrito and wrapped in a wheat wrap.

Both muffins freeze great and make a nice snack or sweet treat. I made a full batch of each type of muffin and froze half (6 of each flavor). I individually wrapped them in plastic wrap and them put them into a larger freezer bag. To thaw them out, just remove all of the wrapping and microwave for a few seconds until soft and warm.

Hope this is helpful for any new mamas out there or really just anyone who is busy and could benefit from making freezer meals!

Still looking for ways to use up that summer zucchini? I know I am! School is back in session, but summer isn’t officially over yet! My parent’s garden is still producing lots of zucchini. One of my favorite ways to use the zucchini is to stuff it and serve it as a main dish for dinner. You can find the following stuffed zucchini recipes that I posted in previous years here:

I still make both of these dishes on a regular basis- they are definitely summertime favorites in my house! This year, I decided to stuff the zucchini with all the delicious flavors of tacos! These Taco Zucchini Boats are filled with a combination of tofu, quinoa, peppers, onions, and a variety of spices. This makes them low in calories and fat, but high in protein and flavor! My Taco Zucchini Boats are both gluten free and vegan. If you’re not vegan, feel free to top them with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese or a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.

These boats also make really great leftovers. They heat up really well and are perfect to bring to work for lunch. The recipe also doubles easily if you’re cooking for more than two people. I suggest serving two zucchini halves to each adult and one for each child. If you want to make a side dish, I like making a little Spanish rice to go with. If you make my Taco Zucchini Boats, let me know by leaving a comment! Don’t forget to follow @busygirlhealthyworld on Instagram and Facebook for more healthy eating/living inspiration!

Directions:Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking pan with foil.
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Using a spoon or melon baller, scoop out the inside of the zucchini so that the “walls” are about 3/4 of an inch thick. Place on the foil-lined pan and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, onions, and jalapeno. Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Decrease the heat to medium.
Drain the water off of the tofu and crumble 6 ounces into the pan with the vegetables using your hands. Break up large pieces with a wooden spoon. Add the quinoa and all of the spices. Stir around to coat all of the tofu. Continue to cook about 2-3 minutes, or until tofu appears slightly browned.
Divide the taco mixture between the four zucchini halves.
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro, salsa and/or a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, if desired.

These vegan chickpea “meatballs” are insanely versatile and quickly became a staple in my house. I prep them on Sunday and I use them in a variety of ways throughout the week. I love them with pasta, zucchini noodles, or spaghetti squash with marinara or tomato sauce. You can throw a few of them in a roll with some sauteed peppers and onions for a really yummy “meatball” sandwich. I also like them with some vegan mushroom gravy poured over the top. Sometimes I will add a couple of them to a Buddha bowl instead of tempeh, tofu, or beans. The possibilities really are endless.

The nutrition stats for this recipe are pretty great, too! Three “meatballs” contain 8 grams of plant-based protein for 154 calories and 3 grams of fat.

I do have another chickpea “meatball” recipe on my blog, but this one is different because it is vegan. There is no cheese and no eggs in this recipe. I use my food processor to make these vegan chickpea “meatballs”, but you can absolutely make them by hand if you don’t have a food processor. The food processor helps to cut down on prep time because you don’t need to mash the beans or chop the onion super small- the food processor does all of that for you.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the ground flax and water and set aside to thicken.
Dump the chickpeas into the food processor. Roughly chop the white onion and garlic into large pieces and add them to the chickpeas (alternatively, mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher and finely chop the onion and garlic). Add the salt, Worcestershire, parsley, basil, thyme, nutritional yeast, and breadcrumbs. Pour in the flax egg.
Pulse the ingredients in the food processor a few times until combined, but still chunky. Be careful not to over-process here-you don’t want the mixture too mushy.
Using a spoon, scoop out about two tablespoons of the chickpea mixture and roll into a ball. Place on the foil-lined baking pan. Continue with the remaining chickpea mixture. You should end up with about 12 “meatballs.”
Bake the vegan chickpea “meatballs” in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the meatballs are slightly brown and firm.
Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

As you can tell from my previous two posts, I’ve been very into smoothie bowls this summer. Most of the smoothies I make contain a frozen banana to make the smoothie super thick and creamy. While this makes the smoothie absolutely delicious, it does increase the sugar content. I don’t pay much attention to the amount of sugar that is in my smoothie, because the vast majority is natural sugar from fruit. However, I am aware that many people, especially people who follow special diets due to an illness or condition, DO pay attention to the amount of sugar in the recipes they make. Bananas are also relatively high in carbs, and replacing the banana with a lower carb alternative also helps to keep the carbs low as well. That’s why I created this smoothie bowl without any banana in the base.

The secret ingredient to reducing the sugar in a smoothie recipe while still creating a super thick and creamy smoothie? Frozen cauliflower. Think I’m crazy? Give it a shot! This Orange Pineapple Smoothie Bowl contains fresh oranges and pineapple, frozen cauliflower, plant-based vanilla protein powder, and almond milk. The flavors are so fresh and vibrant, and it’s packed with protein and vitamins.

About

I am just a girl trying to eat healthy and stay active in the busy world we all live in. Through this blog, I’m hoping to show people that leading a healthy lifestyle can be easy to achieve and easy to maintain.